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Washout at Dawlish


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I'd hazard a guess that fresh infill will be brought to site, rubble is cheap and hardly such a precious commodity that it needs to be reused.

And which of the residents of Sea Lawn Terrace would think that , having spent so much on the restoration of the railway, that the road in front of their homes would be skimped for a few quid's worth of infill.

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Because the line has been out for several weeks is there any element of re-signing for the route for drivers before trains can restart?

No it shouldnt, the limit is 6 months so everyone will be well within that.

 

There are quite a few new drivers at Exeter who have learned and been driving the Barnstaple and Exmouth branches who will now have to learn the Paignton route so you will see quite a few driving cabs with 2 (or 3) people in them as the route learning gets going.

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Granitechops' wall

 

Originally illustrated here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81949-washout-at-dawlish/?p=1399277

 

I've looked and can't find anything in the books I have from tjhis precise area around the washout.and none of them have pix of the area in question.

 

But I do have the 1888 six inch map of the area (I think I also CK has a copy from Wycrail in 2010) and there is no parallel-to-shore structure as shown. The groynes are shown, the more substantial breakwaters are shown, the lieboat and coastguard stations are shown but no structure offshore parallel to the railway.

 

Hence I can only assume it's a later addition.

 

As to what it is, or precisely when it was put the or for what purpose, haven't a clue. But I would be reasonably sure that it's nothing to do with the construction of the line.

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A chain is 22 yards  ( 66 feet ), or the total length of a cricket pitch.

 

Coincidentally, it's also the length of the hall used for the Kenavon Model Railway Exhibition!

 

...and there are 80 chains to a mile...

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The 1933 1/2500 OS map shows a straight line parallel to the shore (on Old maps UK). Not labelled though.

 

Pete

 

Speaking to a long time local this morning

 

he reckons it could be the old sewage pipe from the town, running parralel to the shore line

 

to the sewage works at Dawlish Warren, superceding the older sewers going straight out to sea with no treatment,

 

two of them,  the one seen on the Dawlish Beach cam &

 

one running under the north side of the main stone breakwater in the centre of Dawlish Town beach

 

It in turn was made redundant when the modern system of pipes was run under the main A379 Dawlish Exeter road & out to the warren treatment facility

 

 

 

 

BUT  i still wonder whak IKB did to keep the sea at bay while the foundations were done,

 

couldnt have had more than a few hours either side of low tide before they got swamped 

 

 

How far is it from Red Rock to Teignmouth Station?   6 or 7 miles at a guess 

Edited by Granitechops
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How far is it from Red Rock to Teignmouth Station?   6 or 7 miles at a guess 

It's approx 4 miles, that's the length of the section of line immediately next to the sea.

 

As regards the parallel 'structure' just off shore, I now realise what some of you have been talking about! I've seen it many times before, but I'm not totally sure what it's purpose was. One thing I am sure of, though, is that it's nothing to do with (i) earlier sea walls or (ii) protection for the Brunellian work force when initially constructing the wall. I'd put my money on the old sewage pipe theory, although there's a possibility, I guess, that it might have been an addition to do with 'sand retention on the beach'.

 

Glad to see the various photos of the engineering trains, looks like the plan is proceeding well. I'm hoping to make another site visit tomorrow morning to check on the relaying near Smugglers Cove.

 

As regards Sea Lawn Terrace, when I spoke to someone I know slightly, who lives the other side of the breach in Riviera Terrace, he was saying that some of the services had been restored, but not everything, so he was spending some of the day at home, but sleeping most (but not all) nights in temporary accommodation, so I guess that electricity was one of the missing services. What I do know, however, is that NR have been meeting with the residents on a planned basis, several times a week, to keep them in the picture regarding restoration of the road and their services, this also in conjunction with the local Highways Dept and other relevant organisations.

 

As regards the point about route learning, I doubt that any traincrew who already signs the Sea Wall section will need to refresh. As Big Jim rightly points out, an Operations Briefing document has been sent to all train operators by ourselves. It was put together by FGW in conjunction with NR. The temporary signalling solution will not last for long, but the final decisions regarding configuration and duration haven't been taken yet, that's something that will be finalised early next week.

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I went by train to Pompey today passing the site of the 300m embankment collapse at Botley, plus the other two smaller collapses ( didn't even rate a mention on here....) which caused the closure of the Eastleigh - Fareham line for a month or more.

 

What staggered me was the scale of the remedial works, the infrastructure (new roads across fields, temporary 'village' etc.)needed to support this and the large amount of plant and materials needed.

 

I suppose in the scheme of things this was small change compared to Dawlish but it made me realise just what's needed to make events such as these good.

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PhilH, on 29 Mar 2014 - 17:18, said:

I went by train to Pompey today passing the site of the 300m embankment collapse at Botley, plus the other two smaller collapses ( didn't even rate a mention on here....) which caused the closure of the Eastleigh - Fareham line for a month or more.

 

What staggered me was the scale of the remedial works, the infrastructure (new roads across fields, temporary 'village' etc.)needed to support this and the large amount of plant and materials needed.

 

I suppose in the scheme of things this was small change compared to Dawlish but it made me realise just what's needed to make events such as these good.

 

Another regiment of the Orange Army working tirelessly to repair the ravages of our last winter. Lets hope in the following months they will get a well deserved rest, apart from the usual routine repairs. 

 

Meanwhile here's a re-worked icon with a waving green flag. post-8259-0-28588000-1396113915.gif Please use where you see fit.

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Thanks Dagworth,, there are two of the Orange army & a digger at work in that pic!!

This really shows how much sand has been lost from the beach, whether in the recent storms or over a period of time I do not know. I stayed in a flat on Sea Lawn Terrace in the late 80s and regularly walked along the beach to Dawlish Warren and the structure parallel to the wall was not really visible at all. Also, you could sit on the lower level walkway and put your feet on the sand, it now looks to be at least a 10 foot drop.

 

ROB

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Pictures of 20 wagon ballast train at Dawlish Warren on 25 th March

 

attachicon.gif100_4347 (Small).JPG

 

 

attachicon.gif100_4350 (Small).JPG

 

 

attachicon.gif100_4349 (Small).JPG

 

 

 

 

Question ( I am NOT a rail expert, just a keen observer)

 

 

there was just one ballast wagon with this auxilliary power unit on it,    Purpose?

 

 

attachicon.gif100_4353 (Small).JPG

 

As mentioned, they are usually in rakes of 5 - these are HQA Autoballasters that are semi-permanently coupled in rakes of five. (JJA's are a slightly older type and visually similar, but consist of single wagons, but still usually formed as sets of five) There are other generator fitted wagons in the rake. If you look at wagons 5 & 6 in picture 2, you can make out the hoods above the power unit - these will be the end wagons of five sets.

 

Cheers,

Mick

(part-time wagon spotter.............)

Edited by newbryford
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Looks like the old track from Smugglers cove is off to a 'better place'  great progress.

attachicon.gifDawlish 3.jpg

 

Jamie

 

Yes & infact I had expected this one to  be off up the line

 

BUT

 

at 6.30 - 7pm it was on the Up line alongside the  Bam Nuttall yard at Dawlish Warren having the track panels being unloaded 

 

so with the length of it,  it must have gone halfway to Starcross & set back over the crossing at the Warren to come back down & start unloading from the front

 

Headed by 66555 with 10 flats plus 22 ballast wagons

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This really shows how much sand has been lost from the beach, whether in the recent storms or over a period of time I do not know. I stayed in a flat on Sea Lawn Terrace in the late 80s and regularly walked along the beach to Dawlish Warren and the structure parallel to the wall was not really visible at all. Also, you could sit on the lower level walkway and put your feet on the sand, it now looks to be at least a 10 foot drop.

 

ROB

 

 

Hi Rob, living in the area for the last 40 years the beach level changes quite a lot, quite often

 

the covered walk way on the town beach under Dawlish Station ( under the bridge & turn left)

 

I have seen the sand/shingle almost level with that

 

and at other times 8-10 feet lower

 

& then generally returns to about 3-4 ft below the top

 

No idea why

Edited by Granitechops
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